Transition Light Night: The People's Celebration was held at the Pier Head and featured 27ft x 80ft cinema screens illustrating Liverpool's history, as well as coverage of its year as the Capital of Culture in 2008.
An audience of 60,000 also enjoyed drum and dance performances and a ten-minute firework finale, which was fired from two moving ships on the River Mersey.
"2008 was a life-changing year for this city and we wanted to say thank you for everyone who played their part," said councillor Warren Bradley, leader of Liverpool City Council and deputy chairman of Liverpool Culture Company.
"The evening went perfectly and it is a testimony to the people of Liverpool that so many came out in freezing weather."
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